Separable electrical connecter



Patented July 19; 1938 UNITED STATES SEPARABLE ELECTRICAL CONNEGTER Steven Hugyik, South Bend, Ind., assignor of one-half to Joseph Grunwald, South Bend,

Ind.

Application October 12, 1935, Serial No. 44,651

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a separable electrical connecter, and particularly to a separable connecter plug having an extension wire carried by one part thereof and a screw threaded part removably interconnected with said first part and screw threaded to fit in a threaded outlet socket.

The primary object of the invention is to provide the connecter parts with novel interconnecting means in the form of an axial extension on one part and an axial receiving socket opening therefor in the other part.

A further object is to provide novel means for' simultaneously spring locking and establishing electrical connection between the parts of a separable connecter.

A further object is to provide a two-part article of this character with a tapered projection on one part fitting into a socket in the other part to be centered by means establishing electrical connection between the parts.

A further object is 'to'provide an article of this character constructed to facilitate ease of application of parts, and to eliminate necessity for precision of positioning of the parts preparatory to effect an operative connection therebetween.

Other objects will be apparent from the description and the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the device.

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of one part of the device.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the assembled device taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the assembled device taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of one part of the device taken on line 55 of Figure 2. v Referring to the drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention in the form of a separable. plug, the numeral l0 designates an electrical conductor generally in the form of an extension cord or the like and being of the usual two wire type. On the end of the cord [0 is mounted one part II of my improved plug, which is adapted for removable connection with a sec- 0nd part l2 of. the plug which is adapted to'be attached to a conventional screw threaded wiring outlet (not shown). Each part of the plug is formed of insulating material, such as Bakelite. The part ii is provided'with an inner end 65 portion l3 of relatively small diameter and an part I I.

- heads 21.

outer or gripping portion of larger diameter. The outer end face of part II is recessed at IE to provide an annular end shoulder i6, and centrally from said outer end portion axially projects an extension member I! of generally 5 tapered or conical shape. A large diameter axial opening I8 is formed in the end I3 of part ii and extends substantially midway of the length of the body of said part II; and from this opening project diverging passages l9 which open in 10 the recessed end of said part in substantially diametrically opposed relation and between extension I! and annular shoulder IS. The cord i0 is adapted to be received in the opening l8 and the individual conductors 20 and 2| there- 15 of are separated for extension of each through one of the passages l9. In substantially diametrically opposed relation, a pair of screws are secured in part I l with the shanks thereof screw threaded in suitable longitudinal tapped open- 20 ings in said part and the heads thereof positioned in recess I5. One screw 22 is disposed adjacent the opening l9 through which conductor 20 extends, the bared end of said conductor being fixedly secured under the head of said screw in 25 the conventional manner. The other screw 23 is disposed adjacent the opening l9 through which conductor 2| extends and similarly fixedly secures the bared end of that conductor. Screw 23 additionally serves'to secure a contact mem- 30.

ber comprising a radially extending plate 24 apertured to receive the shank of the screw at its outer end and positioned in face contacting engagement with the recessed face I5 of the plug At its inner end, the plate 24 carries 35 an integral semi-circular yoke 25 which has face contacting engagement at its central portion with extension II. From the ends of yoke 25 extend'longitudinally directed spring arms 26 whose outer ends are provided with concave-convex 40 The extension I! is preferably provided with a pair of opposed longitudinal fiat faces 28 adjacent arms 26 and with relation to which said arms are normally outwardly spaced as best shown in Fig. 2. The tip of extension 45 I! has a button shaped conductor 29 fixed thereto, to which is fixedly electrically connected a conductor 30 extending through an L-shaped passage 3! extending longitudinally of extension I! and thence radially in the body of part II 5 into communication with the tapped opening receiving screw 22 whereby the shank of said screw engages, and establishes electrical connection with said conductor 30.

The plug part I2 is provided with a hand grip portion 35 of a diameter preferably equal to or 'face of the large diameter end thereof. An axially extending socket opening is formed in the plug part l2 in communication with recess 39. This socket opening comprises an outer portion or mouth fixedly mounting a metal ring 40 whose inner radius is preferably slightly less than the radius of yoke 25; an intermediate portion 4| of enlarged diameter; and an inner portion 42 inwardly tapered and complementary tothe outer conical end of extension l1. Communicating with the inner end of portion 42 of said opening is a seat in which is fixedly mounted a metal button contact 43 whose outer end sur= face 44 is convex and projects beyond the threaded end of said plug part and whose inner end is preferably provided witha conical concavity 45. A longitudinally and outwardly directed passage 46 is formed in plug part I 2 to extend from ring 40 to sleeve 31, and in this passage 46 is mounted a conductor 41 which is fixedly secured at its ends to said ring and sleeve.

In the use ofthe plug, the part I2 is threaded into the conventionafthreaded socket of a conyentional electric outlet or similar socket member whose respective terminals. are engageable by the threaded sleeve 31 and button contact 43 in the manner well understood in the art. The part I I may then be applied thereto by inserting extension l'l into the axial opening thereof.

Upon the insertion of part H, 'the heads 21 of contact arms 26 engage ring 40 to inwardly urge said arms until said heads pass said ring, whereupon said arms spring outwardly into engagefl ment with ring 40 and the heads 21 thereof seat in the enlarged intermediate opening portion 4| and in engagement with the inner end or shoulder of ring 40 to spring lock said extension H in said opening. During the insertion of extension I! of part II into part I 2, the outer tapered end thereof is guided by the tapered walls of the inner opening portion 42 to properly position the parts and insure seating of both heads 21 in their receiving opening portion 4|. The opening in part I2 is so proportioned with relation to part II and the extension thereof that ,when plug part l2 engages the annular wall l6 of part II the tapered end of extension will have full contacting engagement with tapered opening portion 42 of plug part l2, the extension button contact 29 will bear against the concave face 45 of button contact 43 of plug part l2 with which it is centered, and the spring arm heads 21 will seat in socket enlargement 4|. nections effected by interconnection of the plug parts are as follows: Conductor 20 of cord I0 is electrically connected through screw 22, conductor 30 and button contact 29 with button form 0 The electrical coni ,contact 43 of plug part I2.

Conductor 2| of cord I0 is electrically connected through screw 23, plate 24, yoke 25, arms 26, ring 40 and conductor 41, with threaded sleeve 31. It will also be seen that one part l2 of the plug may be rotated relative to the other, as to screw the same into a socket, thereby eliminating necessity of separating the parts or twisting the wire I 0 when installing the plug.

Of primary practical importance in the con.- struction is the fact that the spring arms 26 serve the combined functions of establishing electrical connection with ring 40, spring locking the plug parts in operative connected relation, and consequently maintaining electrical connection between button contacts 29 and 43. Another outstanding advantage of this construction is that is permits operative 'connection of the parts in whatever turned relation the plug 'as is necessary with conventional two prong plugs. Furthermore, the extension need not be initially exactly centered relative to the open- 1 ing in plug part I2, but will be guided thereto upon insertion thereof in said opening, so that connection of the plug parts in poor light or. in darkness is easily accomplished.

Whil I have illustrated my invention in the a separable two-part plug, it will be understood that the same may be employed in other relations, as for instance by applying the construction and arrangement of the elements of part |2 directly to an outlet member in the conventional wiring system of a building, whereby the part I2 may be directly applied to such outlet.

I claim:

A separable connecter comprising a socket member, a plug member, saidplug member having an axially disposed tapered extension disposed in a tapered bore in the socket member and adapted to be centered by said bore, a contact carried by the outer end of the tapered extension member, a contact carried by the socket member at its inner end and adapted to engage the extension contact, a counter-bore within the socket and surrounding the plug extension in spaced relation thereto, a conductor ring within the counter-bore surrounding the extension in spaced relation thereto, a threaded sleeve carried by the socket member and in circuit with the ring, a conductor member arching one side of the plug extension within a chamber, said conductor member havin vSpring arms, other spring arms extending from the first mentioned spring arms at opposite sides of the plug extension and 

